All Roll Calls
Yes: 223 • No: 0
GeorgiaHB 7842025-2026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET
Columbia County; ad valorem tax for county purposes; provide homestead exemption
Sponsored By: Rob Clifton (Republican), Rob Leverett (Republican), Mark Newton (Republican), Gary Richardson (Republican)
Signed by Governor
Intragovernmental CoordinationState and Local Governmental OperationsLocal Bill
Your PRIA Score
Score Hidden
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Columbia County $8,000 homestead exemption
This law gives Columbia County homeowners an $8,000 homestead exemption for county property taxes. It lowers your home's assessed value by $8,000 for county purposes only, not state, school, or city taxes. The homestead can include up to five contiguous acres. It adds to other county homestead exemptions, but it is reduced by any overlapping state homestead exemption. You must file an application with the Columbia County tax commissioner. After the first year, it renews automatically while you live there. You must tell the tax commissioner if you stop qualifying. The exemption applies to tax years beginning January 1, 2026, only if a majority of county voters approve it on November 4, 2025.
Columbia County vote on homestead November 2025
Columbia County holds a referendum on November 4, 2025, on the homestead exemption. If more than half of voters say yes, the exemption starts January 1, 2026. If it fails or the election is not held as required, the act is repealed 365 days after the election. The county pays the election cost, and the superintendent must certify results to the Secretary of State. Voters can ask a court to order the superintendent to act if needed.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
Rob Clifton
Republican • House
Rob Leverett
Republican • House
Mark Newton
Republican • House
Gary Richardson
Republican • House
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 3/28/2025
LOCAL CONSENT CALENDAR
Yes: 53 • No: 0
House vote • 3/25/2025
Local Calendar
Yes: 170 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
House Date Signed by Governor
5/13/2025HouseAct 226
5/13/2025Effective Date
5/13/2025House Sent to Governor
4/7/2025HouseSenate Committee Favorably Reported
3/28/2025SenateSenate Passed/Adopted
3/28/2025SenateSenate Read and Referred
3/27/2025SenateHouse Committee Favorably Reported
3/25/2025HouseHouse Third Readers
3/25/2025HouseHouse Passed/Adopted
3/25/2025HouseHouse Second Readers
3/21/2025HouseHouse First Readers
3/20/2025HouseHouse Hopper
3/18/2025House
Bill Text
HB 784/AP* (v4)
Related Bills
HB 90 — Revenue and taxation; increase maximum acreage to qualify for assessment and taxation as a bona fide conservation use property
HB 739 — Lawrenceville, City of; annexation of certain territory; provide
HB 579 — Professions and businesses; licensure to engage in trade; provisions
SB 566 — Ad Valorem Taxation of Property; the acceptance of tax digests in the event of a publication error made by a newspaper; provide
SB 284 — "Georgia Uniform Securities Act of 2008,"; issuance of orders by the Commissioner of Securities directing persons who have violated certain securities provisions to return; authorize
HB 413 — Agriculture; prohibit local ordinances that prohibit operation of mobile sawmills on agricultural land